Lisa Schreckenbach, Director of Admissions
Director of Admissions Lisa Schreckenbach has a unique view of our treatment center’s history. She arrived on the campus in 1984 as an admissions clerk and is the staff member who has served the most continuous years.
“The service provided has always been outstanding and has increasingly improved through the years,” she says.
“We have never swayed from our true reason for being in business — helping people. We also have never jumped on the latest-fad-in-treatment bandwagon. We continue strengthening what we know works: excellent medical/nursing care, counseling, and 12-Step work.”
Answering Important Questions
Lisa works at the center of the inquiry process through which patients enter treatment. During a relatively brief amount of time, the Admission Specialists seek to ascertain the afflicted person’s condition and needs and whether La Hacienda is the best treatment center for them.
It’s a delicate balancing act, weighing both the medical needs of men and women in crisis and financial issues. Whether it is at La Hacienda or another treatment facility we can recommend, the goal is to get them help.
Personal Responses
Lisa’s staff strive to handle each inquiry with careful attention to the individual involved.
“Working with my staff and potential patients and their families has shown me there is no perfectly packaged method to handle their calls,” says Lisa.
Each Admission Specialist has a unique personality and first-hand experience with the disease and recovery, so each answers a caller’s inquiry with a personal touch.
“Whichever admission specialist responds, their main goal is to adapt and connect with the caller; to help make them feel comfortable and confident in their decision to reach out to us in the first place.”
Her Fingers Did the Walking
During her early years, Lisa’s family moved about following her father’s work in the oil industry. Born in Fort Worth, she grew up in Houston and then London, England, then back to the US and Tulsa, Oklahoma. She studied at Oklahoma State University and followed the family back to Houston.
Her grandparents had a ranch in the Hill Country, and that led her to move out here. And then she started to look for work.
“I needed a job, so I looked through the Kerrville phone book.”
The first two entries she saw were for James Avery Craftsman and AA (with the La Hacienda phone number). She applied to them both.
Lisa interviewed with Candace Poorman, now Business Office Manager, and was hired. Her entire career has been within the business and admissions offices of La Hacienda.
(Candace was here earlier, but left to work elsewhere, then came back.)
Likes to Work with People
“I enjoy the people I work with and who work for me,” says Lisa. “I enjoy being able to help those who call us to navigate and better understand the insurance world.”
La Hacienda staff often speak of the family atmosphere among staff. Lisa knows it first-hand through a personal tragedy she suffered.
“It was indescribable how the staff helped me through it. Even staff I didn’t know well were incredibly compassionate, reaching out to me with a kind word or a caring note. I experienced personally what patients receive from them every day they are here.”
Loves the Outdoors and New Hobby
Lisa loves camping, hiking, rock hunting, and road trips. She recently learned welding and woodworking and enjoys doing them for crafts and yard art. She has two grown sons, three dogs, and two cats.
Her “most favorite place in the whole world” is 40 acres she co-owns in Terlingua near Big Bend National Park.
“It’s an extremely peaceful place to unplug and connect even more so with God. There’s no light pollution, so on clear nights the star lit sky is amazing. There is also no cell service, water or electricity but I love the beauty of the desert and definitely go prepared!”
